Monthly Archives: April 2019

Revelation 3:1 shows us that the church at Sardis had a name (G3586) that was undependable. At times they were ready to represent Jesus, but at other times it was as though they hadn’t even known him. Jesus claimed, however, there were a few names (G3586) in Sardis who had not soiled their garments (Revelation 3:4).[1] That is, these names were ready both in season and out of season to reprove, to rebuke and to exhort with patience and instruction (cf. 2Timothy 4:2). They proved themselves that they were not ashamed of the name of Christ. Read the rest of this entry »

In a previous study I demonstrated that the church at Sardis allowed herself to fall in disrepair, just as the ancient city did, before it was conquered. Her works weren’t perfect before God, and she failed to watch and pray, which placed her in a dangerous position. Jesus told the church to do three things: 1) remember how they had both received and heard; 2) hold fast; and 3) repent (Revelation 3:3). How would attending to these three matters affect the dangerous state in which Christ found her in Revelation 3? Read the rest of this entry »

Jesus mentioned that he has the Seven Spirits of God (Revelation 3:1). Some have thought these seven spirits are the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, none of the writers of the New Testament ever mention that the Holy Spirit sends grace to believers or even sends his greeting to them. Why would he, if he indwells the believer? Why would John need to bring a message of grace from the Holy Spirit (Revelation 1:4), if, indeed, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer? Therefore, I don’t believe the Seven Spirits of God could represent the Holy Spirit. Read the rest of this entry »

The city of Sardis, as we have come to understand in this study of the churches mentioned in Revelation, chapters 2 & 3, is a city in Asia Minor, now western Turkey. It was situated along an ancient Roman mail route beginning in Ephesus and going north to Pergamum and then south through Sardis to Laodicea, and then back to Ephesus. Sardis was a very old city, perhaps dating back to 2000 BC, boasting of being the ancient capital of the Lydian Empire (1200 BC). The city was a walled city that sat atop of a hill, about 1000 feet high, and for centuries it was considered impregnable. However, in its latter years its walls became cracked through lack of vigilance and effort to repair the damage. Therefore, Cyrus the Great was able to capitalize upon Sardis’ failure to be vigilant and tend to its weaknesses. Cyrus conquered the city, reportedly taking $600,000,000 worth of gold and precious stones. Read the rest of this entry »

In this study of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3, I have been demonstrating that the church of Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) had been doing well in the business of preaching the Gospel. However, Jesus did find fault with them in the fact that they had been permitting Jewish teachers (Jezebel in the text) to seduce Jesus’ disciples into believing the doctrines of the Jerusalem authorities, whose doctrines, if practiced, made the word of God of no effect upon his people. In so doing, the leaders in Thyatira were permitting those under their care to be removed from the authority and protection of Christ and placing them under the authority of Christ’s enemies at Jerusalem. Read the rest of this entry »

Presently I am involved in a study of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3, specifically at this time with the church of Thyatira (Revelation 2:29). Thyatira was the smallest of the seven cities, but it received the largest of Jesus’ letters. The church there was commended for several good things it had been doing, and Jesus even mentioned they were doing more or greater works in their latter ministry than they had been doing in the beginning (Revelation 2:19-20). Nevertheless, they were guilty of permitting a false prophetess, Jezebel (the Jerusalem authorities), to seduce his disciples, removing them from his protection and authority. Read the rest of this entry »

In Revelation 2:21 the Lord is still speaking to the leader of the church at Thyatira, and he is speaking about that Jezebel he mentioned in the previous verse. Jezebel is a name for those who claim to be Jews, but are not. That is, they claim to be the people of God, but they don’t obey him. They are the Jews who crucified the Lord. She was given time to repent, probably the time between Jesus’ resurrection and Stephen’s death (cir. 3 1/2 years), but they didn’t. This period was a period of relative safety granted the elect believers, as mentioned in Revelation 12:14. It culminated in spilling righteous blood, so the Jerusalem authorities simply wouldn’t repent. Read the rest of this entry »